Finally finished my first board. Another balsa compsand. Took about 4 months!!
Firstly thanks to the compsand crew for inspiration, tips and pm advice, especially Silly!!
I wanted an alternative to my fish for small waves to surf more in the pocket. So went for a small wave quad. I finished up with about 90% to what I set out to make. The blending of the shape and finish are a bit crude but it goes!! Made mistakes at every step, but learnt heaps!!
I’m average size, about 5’9" and 154 pounds.
The boards is…
6’ long.
19 1/4" wide, 2" behind centre
Nose 12 1/2" wide
Tail 15" wide
Thickness 2 1/8"
Rocker 4 1/4" nose; 2 1/4" tail.
Put in far too much vee and concaves too deep, and mistakenly put in a rounded bottom up front playing around with the vacuum bag too much.
Build is 3.8 ounce glass, 1/8" balsa, 3.8 deck…
3.8, 1/16", 3.8 bottom…
And 5 layers of 1/8" on rails.
Weight without fins is 2.2kg or 4.8 pounds. Shocked me how light it came out.
First real surf this morning. Chest to slightly overhead. Mix of softish and steep lefts, some sectioning most peeling along nicely. What I’d usually use the fish for.
Paddled ok - quick to get up to wave catching speed. Light weight I guess.
Sinks to about diaphram when sitting on it.
Catches waves ok, and easy to adjust when dropping in.
Seems to plane easily, but not as well over flat spots as I hoped - too much vee again I think.
First time riding a quad but only took a couple of waves to get the feel of it. Loose like my twin keeled fish, but turns really sharp at speed and can be pushed through a turn much harder. Goes really fast turning off the top, and can draw out a nice turn around sections.
But feels neutral when trimming, doesn’t drag like a thruster.
Easy to surf up, over and around the whitewater and lip.
Again the light weight allows heaps of control over it.
Not so sure about flex, probably more surtech than sunova.
So all in all I’m stoked with first board and about the start the next one a 5’8" fish.
Thanks Paul. I found the balsa easier to do than the final glassing, hot coat etc.
Next board I’ll use 2 ounce cloth inside and I’ve got some 3/32" for the deck. I noticed once I got the deck on it stiffened up alot.
Hey Hunter. The vent is just a stainless steel screw cast into epoxy, then glassed into the board. A rubber o-ring seals it. Surprised it works. Hope it lasts. I need to make a wider cast so I can countersink the screw in to make it flush.
I’ve got some goretex type material (but not goretex) that I’m gonna experiment with to make a constantly breathable vent.